Who defines and manages an employee’s career — the organisation or the individual himself? Forty years ago, Douglas T. Hall noticed a shift from organisation- defined careers to employee-defined ones. In 1976, he wrote in his book Careers In Organisations : “The Protean Career is a process which the person, not the organisation, is managing. It consists of all of the person’s varied experiences in education, training, work in several organisations, changes in occupational field, etc. The protean person’s own personal career choices and search for self-fulfilment are the unifying or integrative elements in his or her life. The criterion of success is internal; not external.” In the present business climate, the Protean career has greater relevance. The word Protean derives from the Greek god Proteus, who is known for his versatility and adaptability.
The concept of the Protean career is based on a few evolving premises. The question of job security is not relevant as before. Companies and industries that seem to be thriving today, may downsize or shut down tomorrow based on market demands. With careers for life are no longer a given, gone are the days of guaranteed benefits such as vacation days, sick days or even pensions. Additionally, the increasing rate of unemployment and the lack of any significant ‘labour-intensive’ industries on the horizon have made the Protean career a reality of our times.
Technology and globalisation are two vital factors contributing to this situation. Automation in companies across verticals and at all levels has rapidly downsized workforces. As technology is becoming more sophisticated by the day, companies are able to run leaner and more powerful operations. Not that this is the first time technology has replaced humans at the workplace. The diference today is that changes seem to be coming much faster than before. While most high-skill jobs requiring problem-solving abilities and creativity seem resilient to automation, middle-skill and low-skill jobs are most at risk.
Globalisation, on the other hand, has been a double-edged sword. Its positive effects include increased capacity of developing countries to create new opportunities for work, with FDI enhancing employment creation in recipient countries. On the flip side, the large-scale technological development that accompanies this phenomenon has reduced the demand for unskilled labour. These changes have led individuals to do a rethink about their careers and introspect on steps to be taken for survival.
What defines a Protean? The characteristic that is central to the Protean Career is that it is a reflection of the person. An individual with a Protean career — or one who is a Protean — puts self-fulfilment and a internal sense of success above accomplishments that are considerably controlled by factors whose source lie outside the individual.
The Protean career development is influenced by the employee’s own work experiences and peer networks and social life. Two types of personal values remain core to the protean group. Firstly, the assessment of their contribution. And secondly, maintaining worklife balance. These individuals also engage often in critical reassessment by questioning the basis of their career values and strategies. Every aspect of their career decisions is planned and well thought-out to ensure that every step moves them towards the achievement of their career goal and if it does not, then new or modified plans need to be created to continue with the career journey. Surviving in a Protean world The Protean career demands that everyone learn to assess the job market and introspect on one’s own capabilities. Individuals should also assess future trends and gain the qualifications required to adapt quickly and thrive in the new ever-changing workplace.
Job seekers must now become opportunity seekers. Individuals should constantly set aside time to introspect deeply and critically if they are in the right place and if this will lead them to their long-term career goals. It is also important to consider multiple sources of income to keep themselves financially secure. They should also embrace the idea of life-long education to increase their worth and be compensated accordingly.
This entrepreneurial spirit must be reignited throughout our society, our educational system… everywhere. If we are to survive and thrive in tomorrow’s workplace, we need to be part of an overall societal overhaul. Schools, colleges and universities should now orient students to embrace and thrive in the new Protean world. There may be limited jobs, but there are unlimited opportunities. We can no longer depend on our employers or government alone to bring security in our lives. We must take personal responsibility of our own future and dive deep into our own resourcefulness and creativity to envision our career journeys.
For those willing to accept this, the future promises to be exciting. The narrative on talent challenges us to power the next wave of growth in the service sector in India, which has so far centred around the employers. In the increasingly VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world, it is time for the rise of the ‘Protean career’.
No comments:
Post a Comment